ATLANTA (February 23, 2012) – President Pro-Tempore Tommie Williams (R-Lyons) released the following statement applauding the passage of SB 316: “Protecting the most innocent and defenseless in our society is absolutely necessary,” said Sen. Tommie Williams. “I am proud of Senator Bethel for crafting legislation that will lengthen the time a victim has to report […]

The 2012 General Assembly just completed its fourteenth legislative day this week. I wanted to take a chance to update you on some of the bigger news items going on in the state Senate. We began the week by working towards efficient government with the passage of SB 223, also known as the Georgia Government […]

Last week, legislators from across our great state gathered at the State Capitol to begin the 2012 legislative session. Since our last session, our economy has begun to show signs of healing and stabilization. However, we are not out of the woods yet, so our focus needs to continue to be on job creation. Citizens […]

Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) sponsored a bill that allows the State School Superintendent to hire and fire all employees at the Georgia Department of Education and State Schools for the Deaf and Blind. Other provisions include allowing the State Board of Education to overturn the Superintendent’s hiring or firing with a 2/3 vote, and the […]

Every ten years since the foundation of America, a national census is conducted to count the total population. Steeped in tradition and codified in our Constitution, the first national census was conducted under the supervision of the nation’s first Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson. Under Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, the […]

Rhonda Gladden had to leave the meeting early for a funeral visitation, so she jumped up quickly to speak her mind about property assessments. “I have one concern in my life, and that is I can maintain the property that I own,” said the Clarkesville woman. “And property tax, it seems, consumes my life.” Gladden […]

By Dan Chapman, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution April 19 Georgia’s jobless rate in March continued its decline from peak levels, notching a 10 percent rate that economists expect will return to single digits as 2011 rolls along. The jobless rate was 10.2 percent in February and 10.4 percent in December. Not since June of last year […]